Campus Minister Turnover

The average Youth Minister lasts 2-2.5 years.

On average Youth Ministers and/or Campus Ministers leave said ministry within 2 to 2 1/2 years. After this time they either move up the ministry career ladder to an associate pastor position or leave the ministry to pursue another career. 

I cannot document this statistic, but I did get it from an expert in the field whom I believe to be reliable. If anyone can provide a confirming source to document this stat, I would appreciate it. 

This statistic suggests several things:

• There is a lot of turnover
• Kids must deal with that turnover
• Youth Ministry is stressful
• Youth Ministry is the lowest rung on the ministry career ladder
• Youth ministry is sometimes regarded as a "Stepping Stone" in a ministry career rather than as a primary ministry ministry in and of itself.

These observations are not an indictment of youth ministers but rather simply an observation of the way things are.

Youth Ministry is one of the most demanding areas of ministry and sometimes does not receive the credit, honor and resources that it is due.

-----------

ADDENDUM: According to Jay Strack, Founder of Student Leadership University, the average youth minister lasts 18-36  months.